Improvement in electrodes for electrical bath-tubs



G. M. SCHWQEIG.

ELECTRODES FOR ELECTRICAL BATH-TUBS.

No.19Z,601.

Patented July 3, 1877.

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MPETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAFNER, WASHXNGTON. D C.

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9 1011 fil mol /im/ GEORGE M. SGHWEIG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TOLESSER STEINHARDT, 0F SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRODES FQR ELEGTRICAL BATH-TUBS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1192,6QE, dated July 3,1877; application filed May 17, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. SCHWEIG, of the city of New York, in theState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Bath-Tubs for Hygienic and Medical Purposes; and that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of theimproved electric bath-tub with the coping removed. Fig. 2 represents alongitudinal vertical section through said bath-tub. Fig. 3 represents adetached view of a floating electrode.

In all electric bath-tubs for medical purposes heretofore used, thegalvanic current is introduced in the water and the bodies of patientsthrough metal electrodes, chiefly copper electrodes. It has been foundby actual eX- periments that the copper (or other metal) thus employedas an electrode becomes oxidized through the oxygen set free at thepositive pole of the battery. The inevitable result is, that the patientis made to take a bath in a solution of oxideof copper-in other words, apoisonous bath.

To obviate this is the object of my invention, which consists in .a newmethod of introducing the galvanic (or Faradaic) current that is,unaccompanied by any such injurious collateral effectsviz., by means ofcarbon electrodes affixed to tubs, movable foot-board, floats, 860.,made of non-conducting materials, such as wood, soap-stone, porcelain,vulcanized rubber, glass, 850.

Carbon is not decomposed by either positive or negative electriccurrents, and is therefore not open to the objections that attach tometal electrodes.

The tub, as shown in the drawings, is preferably made of wood, and isformed with a bottom, B, two sides, 0, the head-piece D, slightlycircular, and foot-piece E, and also'a removable coping, F, to cover theelectric wires, as will be hereinafter described.

The carbon electrodes G are preferably placed in recesses formed in thematerial of the tub, and protected by muslin, g, or other equivalentsubstance fastened over them. They are placed at the head, foot, andsides, so that the current may be made to traverse the body of thepatient longitudinally or transversely, as may be desired. They areconnected, by means of insulated wires h, with the binding-posts H atthe side of-the tub, through which communication is made with a battery.I prefer to have the wires conducted from the electrodes within thematerial of the tub to the top, where a groove, I, is formed for theirreception, and through which they are led to the binding-posts.

The groove I and wires are covered by the coping F, so constructed as tobe easily removed for the inspection and arrangement of the wires.

,Within the tub the sides 0 have series of vertical grooves k, for thereception of the two extremities of a detachable foot-board, K, made ofnon-conducting material, and also furnished with a carbon electrode,from which an insulated wire can reach the binding-posts H. Thisfoot-board renders the tub adaptable to persons of all sizes, includingchildren.

In connection with this tub there is a floating electrode, L, made ofnon-conducting material, and also furnished with a carbon plate andinsulated wire, which, when connected with one pole of a battery, theother pole of which is connected with any one or more of the electrodesof the tub, and applied to any desired portion of the body, establish adirect circuit through the body between said floating electrode and theelectrode or electrodes communicating with the other pole of thebattery. I

Having now fully described my invention, I claim In connection withelectric bath-tubs made of non-conducting material, and for medicalpurposes, carbon electrodes aflixed to said tub, to a movablefoot-board, or to a float, and connected by wires to a battery for theintroduction of electric currents, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

GEORGE M. SUHWEIG.

Witnesses:

E. E. MASSON, W. R. EDELEN.

